PIC16F1508-E/ML - 8-bit 20MHz 7KB Flash MCU 20-QFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F1508-E/ML ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.65 | $1.65 |
| 10 | $1.49 | $14.90 |
| 100 | $1.32 | $132.00 |
| 500 | $1.18 | $590.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.05 | $1,050.00 |
PIC16F1508-E/ML Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, memory (Flash, SRAM, EEPROM), and programmable I/O peripherals on one die. The PIC16F1508 belongs to the enhanced mid-range 8-bit PIC16 family using a RISC-style Harvard architecture, which separates program and data buses for deterministic instruction execution. Within the broader system hierarchy, MCUs sit between fixed-function ASICs (lower flexibility, lower cost at volume) and 32-bit application processors (higher performance, higher cost/power), making 8-bit MCUs ideal for cost-sensitive, low-power embedded control.
Key features of the PIC16F1508 include 18 digital I/O pins, an internal 31kHz to 16MHz HF oscillator with PLL, a 10-bit ADC up to 12 channels, two comparators, a 5-bit DAC, three 8-bit timers plus a 16-bit timer, two PWM modules, I²C/SPI/UART (EUSART) peripherals, and 128 bytes of EEPROM. The PIC16F XLP (eXtreme Low Power) variants provide nanoWatt sleep currents below 100 nA in deep sleep, suiting battery-powered designs. The 20-QFN-EP package offers a small 4x4 mm footprint with an exposed thermal pad that must be soldered to the board for proper electrical and thermal performance.
Typical applications include consumer appliance control, LED lighting controllers, sensor node signal conditioning, low-cost USB/HID interfaces (via dedicated peripherals on sister parts), battery-powered IoT endpoints, white goods front panels, and general-purpose digital logic replacement. The device's CIPs allow designers to implement state machines, waveform generation, and analog signal conditioning without continuous CPU intervention, freeing the core for communication stacks or system management.
When designing with the PIC16F1508-E/ML, ensure the exposed thermal pad (EP) is soldered to a sufficiently large copper pour to meet thermal dissipation requirements and provide a low-impedance ground reference. Decoupling capacitors (100 nF ceramic plus bulk 1-10 µF) must be placed as close as possible to VDD/AVDD pins, and the ICSP™ programming pins (ICSPCLK/ICSPDAT) must be accessible for in-circuit programming and debugging via tools such as MPLAB® PICkit™ 4 or MPLAB Snap.
This page synthesizes Microchip datasheet parameters, distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the bare datasheet to help engineers select and source the PIC16F1508-E/ML with confidence.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F1508-E/ML — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with PIC16F1508-E/ML (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Operating Temperature, Package, Timers, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F1508-I/ML
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$0.54 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1509-E/ML
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F1507-E/ML
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$0.48 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1503-I/ST
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$0.94 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1508-E/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 Enhanced Mid-Range (8-bit RISC Harvard) |
| Series | PIC® XLP™ 16F |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Set Width | 14-bit |
| Flash Program Memory | 7 KB (4K x 14) |
| RAM (Data Memory) | 256 bytes |
| EEPROM | 128 bytes |
| Digital I/O Pins | 18 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 12 channels with Computation (ADC²) |
| Comparators | 2 |
| DAC | 5-bit |
| Timers | 3 x 8-bit, 1 x 16-bit |
| PWM Modules | 2 |
| Communication Peripherals | I²C/SPI, EUSART (UART) |
| Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) | CLC, NCO, CWG, ADC² |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended) |
| Package | 20-VFQFN-EP, 4 x 4 mm, exposed pad (ML) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Programming/Debug | ICSP via ICSPCLK/ICSPDAT (PGx/RGx on datasheet family) |
PIC16F1508-E/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5/SS/T1CKI/P1C/P1D/PWM4OUT/CLCIN1 — GPIO/Peripheral pin (family datasheet mapping) |
| Pin 2 | RA4/AN3/CWGIN/CLCIN2 — GPIO/Peripheral pin |
| Pin 3 | RA3/CCP2/MCLR/VPP — MCLR/Reset (programming voltage on VPP) |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/T0CKI/CWG1FLT/COM1 — GPIO/Peripheral pin |
| Pin 5 | RA1/AN1/COM1/C1INC — GPIO/Peripheral pin |
| Pin 6 | RA0/AN0/C1INA/C2INA — GPIO/Peripheral pin |
| Pin 7 | VDD — Digital supply voltage (1.8 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Digital ground |
| Pin 9 | RB7/AN11/C2OUT — GPIO/Peripheral pin |
| Pin 10 | RB6/AN10/COM2 — GPIO/Peripheral pin |
| Pin 11 | RB5/AN9/COM2 — GPIO/Peripheral pin |
| Pin 12 | RB4/AN8/SDI/SDA — GPIO/I²C/SPI pin |
| Pin 13 | RB3/CCP1/SDO — GPIO/PWM/SPI pin |
| Pin 14 | RB2/AN6 — GPIO/ADC pin |
| Pin 15 | RB1/AN5/CS — GPIO/SPI chip-select pin |
| Pin 16 | RB0/AN4/INT — GPIO/External interrupt pin |
| Pin 17 | AVDD — Analog supply voltage (1.8 V to 5.5 V); tie to VDD if ADC unused |
| Pin 18 | AVSS — Analog ground; tie to VSS |
| Pin 19 | RA7/OSC1/CLKI/P1A/PWMOUT — GPIO/Oscillator/Peripheral pin |
| Pin 20 | RA6/OSC2/CLKO/P1B — GPIO/Oscillator/Peripheral pin |
Typical Applications
PIC16F1508-E/ML is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, LED Lighting Controller (Linear/Sign Dimming), Consumer Appliance User Interface, Hobbyist/Maker Projects (Arduino Replacement), Automotive Interior/Auxiliary Modules (Non-Safety), Industrial Control Logic Replacement.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16F1508-E/ML is ideal for battery-powered IoT sensor endpoints thanks to its PIC16F XLP technology with deep-sleep currents below 100 nA and 1.8 V minimum VDD. The ADC² (ADC with Computation) peripheral averages multiple samples autonomously without waking the CPU, so a CR2032 coin cell can power a temperature/humidity node for multiple years. The 7 KB Flash holds a small RTOS-free state machine plus a lightweight communication stack; the 20-QFN (4x4) package suits coin-cell PCB real estate. Compared with discrete op-amp + MCU designs, the integrated 5-bit DAC, two comparators, and 18 GPIO eliminate external components. The exposed pad must be soldered for thermal dissipation and ground integrity at peak CPU activity. CLCs can implement hardware wake-on-signal paths, letting the device stay asleep until a sensor threshold is crossed.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controller (Linear/Sign Dimming)
The PIC16F1508-E/ML excels in multi-channel LED controllers because its Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) produces hardware dead-band-managed complementary PWM for half-bridge LED drivers, while the 10-bit ADC and two comparators close a constant-current feedback loop without CPU load. Designers can drive 4-6 LED strings with software-defined fade curves while a 16-bit timer maintains flicker-free PWM at 20 kHz+. The 5-bit DAC and CLCs can implement hardware-only linear regulators or current-mode control loops. The 4 x 4 mm QFN-EP package fits inside narrow LED strip modules and conducts waste heat through the exposed pad to the PCB copper pour. The 7 KB Flash is sufficient for DMX-512, DALI, or 0-10 V lighting protocols, and the nanoWatt sleep helps meet standby <0.5 W EU regulations.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance User Interface
The PIC16F1508-E/ML is a strong fit for consumer appliance front panels, washing machine / dishwasher / microwave keypads, and small kitchen appliances where a low-cost 8-bit MCU must drive a 7-segment or dot-matrix display, read capacitive or resistive touch keys, and handle I²C sensor I/O. The 18 GPIO plus Peripheral Pin Select provide flexible display/keypad routing, while the two comparators and 5-bit DAC support analog knob or slider interpretation. The Extended -40°C to +125°C temperature grade handles kitchen and laundry heat, and the 4 x 4 mm QFN-EP package sits behind the display PCB. With 7 KB Flash / 256 B RAM, designers can implement debounced scanning, basic UI state, and low-speed fault logging without an external EEPROM.
Recommended
Hobbyist/Maker Projects (Arduino Replacement)
The PIC16F1508-E/ML is well-suited as the brains of a hobbyist project or maker build because it offers real analog CIPs (CLC, NCO, CWG, ADC²) at a price point below $1.50 USD in volume, with a tiny 4 x 4 mm QFN footprint. The device can be programmed via the ICSP pins using a $25 PICkit 4 or MPLAB Snap debugger; for the rare hobbyist ready to migrate from Arduino, the free MPLAB X IDE and XC8 compiler support C development with extensive libraries. The 20 MHz clock and 7 KB Flash handle typical maker workloads (LED driving, sensor reading, simple motor control, IR remotes) while the 256 B RAM is enough for small protocol buffers. Compared with ATmega328P-based Arduino, this MCU is smaller, lower cost in volume, and offers more sophisticated hardware peripherals.
Recommended
Automotive Interior/Auxiliary Modules (Non-Safety)
The PIC16F1508-E/ML is appropriate for non-safety automotive interior modules such as ambient lighting controllers, USB charging port logic, seat heater switches, rear-view mirror controls, and HVAC flap drivers where Extended -40°C to +125°C temperature grade is required. Designers can pair the PIC16F1508 with a CAN or LIN transceiver (e.g., MCP2515 or MCP2003) for body-network connectivity; the MCU's EUSART peripheral is LIN-compatible. Compared with generic 8-bit MCUs that lack the Extended temperature range, the PIC16F1508-E handles under-dash thermal stress and cold-crank voltages down to 1.8 V without losing regulation.
Recommended
Industrial Control Logic Replacement
The PIC16F1508-E/ML replaces discrete 74HC logic and small PLDs in industrial cabinets, machine tools, and process control loops where the CIPs (CLC, NCO, CWG) can implement glue logic without software. The 18 GPIO, two comparators, and 5-bit DAC allow direct interfacing to 4-20 mA loops, 0-10 V analog signals, and 24 V digital I/O via simple resistor dividers. The 7 KB Flash holds ladder-logic-style state machines plus fault handling, and the Extended temperature rating operates inside sealed cabinets at 70 °C ambient with margin. Compared with discrete CMOS logic implementations, a single PIC16F1508-E/ML reduces BOM cost and PCB area while adding remote diagnostics via EUSART or I²C.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F1508-E/ML — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F1508-I/ML | PIC16F1509-E/ML | PIC16F1507-E/ML | PIC16F1503-I/ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-VFQFN-EP (4x4 mm) | 20-VFQFN-EP (4x4 mm) - same | 20-VFQFN-EP (4x4 mm) - same | 20-VFQFN-EP (4x4 mm) - same | 20-VFQFN-EP (4x4 mm) - same |
| Flash Memory | 7 KB | 7 KB | 14 KB | 3.5 KB | 4 KB |
| RAM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 512 bytes | 128 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended) | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Digital I/O Pins | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) | CLC, NCO, CWG, ADC² | CLC, NCO, CWG, ADC² | CLC, NCO, CWG, ADC² | Reduced CIP set | Reduced CIP set |
Key Differentiators
- Highest Flash density in 20-QFN-EP (4x4) PIC16F150x family with full CIP suite (vs PIC16F1507-E/ML)
- Extended -40 °C to +125 °C temperature grade for harsh-environment use (vs PIC16F1508-I/ML)
- Smaller footprint than SOIC sibling (vs PIC16F1508-E/SO)
- No USB hardware (intentional design choice - not a disadvantage) (vs PIC16F1455-I/P)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as possible to each VDD/AVDD pin pair, plus a single 1-10 µF bulk capacitor. Per Microchip datasheet 40001609E, AVDD must be tied to VDD and AVSS to VSS if the ADC is not used; otherwise power-supply noise couples directly into ADC measurements. The VDD range is 1.8 V to 5.5 V; below 2.5 V the HF oscillator maximum frequency is reduced - consult the datasheet's electrical characteristics table for VDD-vs-Fosc graphs.
The 20-QFN-EP package exposes a thermal pad on the underside that MUST be soldered to a sufficient copper pour (recommended at least 1 cm² of 1 oz copper tied to VSS). Estimated: at 20 MHz active with all peripherals enabled, supply current is approximately 5-7 mA at 5 V, dissipating roughly 25-35 mW; the EP copper pour keeps the junction temperature below +125 °C even at +85 °C ambient. Without soldering the EP, thermal performance degrades and the ground reference becomes mechanically and electrically unstable.
Route the ICSP programming pins (ICSPCLK/ICSPDAT, family-specific PGECx/PGEDx) to a 0.1 inch header or test pad for in-circuit programming and debugging. Keep these traces short and away from switching signals to avoid debugger noise. For analog measurements, isolate ADC traces from digital switching lines and use a ground guard ring around sensitive analog pins (e.g., ANx/C1INx/C2INx).
Do NOT assume any 8-bit PIC has USB - the PIC16F1508 has NO USB peripheral. If USB is needed, choose PIC16F1455/PIC16F1459 (which integrate a USB 2.0 SIE). Also, the MCLR pin (RA3) is the programming voltage (VPP) entry; if MCLR is left floating or pulled incorrectly, programming fails. Tie MCLR to VDD via 10 kΩ for normal operation, or use the internal MCLR enable configuration if the pin is repurposed as GPIO. Finally, ensure the configuration bits set the oscillator correctly for HFINTOSC vs external crystal - a wrong config leaves the device clocked incorrectly and seemingly dead.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 not qualified - not intended for safety-critical automotive applications; PIC16F1508-E/ML is appropriate for non-safety automotive interior modules only.
